Curated OER
Identifying Different Perspectives - Camilo's Drums
Explore differing points of view with your upper elementary and middle schoolers. Learners watch a video segment called "Ancestors Talk through Drums" and determine what perspectives are presented. Then, using the included worksheet,...
Anti-Defamation League
Viewing History from Multiple Perspectives
Celebration or protest song? The full text of Woody Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land" opens a study of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the Louisiana Purchase, and Western Expansion from various perspectives. Middle schoolers examine...
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Using Political Cartoons to Understand Historical Events
Examine historical perspectives through the use of political cartoons. Learners complete analysis activities related to the president's title, the establishment of the national bank, and the Jay Treaty.
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Perspectives on September 11,2001
Fifth graders will learn about various perspectives around events. They will need to take on the perspectives of various key people during the September 11 attack. Then they will write in their journals about the incident. They read...
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Historical Agency in History Book Sets (HBS)
Study historical events by combining the study of historical fiction and non-fiction. Learners read about true past events in historical fiction novels and then research non-fiction accounts of the same events. What are some differences...
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Washington in Cincinnati
Seventh graders compare and contrast the leadership of George Washington and Cincinnatus. In this historical perspectives lesson, 7th graders research the noted Web sites to answer questions about the 2 men.
PBS
Historical Perspectives: Coming Home from War
What do the homecoming experiences of soldiers who fought in WWII, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan reveal about the politics and culture of the US during the time period of each war? Young historians view The Way We Get By, which tells...
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Stop Action and Assess Alternatives
Students stop action and determine how history may have been altered. For this historical perspectives lesson, students consider how the Cherokee Removal, the Transcontinental Railroad, the Immigration Act of 1924, and the dropping of...
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Well-behaved Women [and Men] Seldom Make History
Students examine historical context. In this historical perspectives instructional activity, students read and discuss instructor-selected picture book biographies. Students then complete graphic organizers based on the challenges the...
Anti-Defamation League
Analyzing Primary Source Documents to Understand U.S. Expansionism and 19th Century U.S.-Indian Relations
Historical events can be viewed from multiple perspectives. This simple truth is brought home in a lesson that examines primary source documents related to the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the Doctrine of Discovery and Manifest Destiny,...
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Lesson: Storyboarding Revolution
Kids consider revolution as a basis for creativity, art, and storytelling. After reading an excerpt from the book, Persepolis, learners choose one event from any world revolution to write about. They storyboard the event focusing on...
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What Is an "Inquiry Lesson"?
Students complete inquiry projects. In this historical perspectives lesson, students conduct their own research on topical historical questions their instructors suggest. Students then locate historical evidence and analyze it to learn...
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Historical Context: Discovering a Painting
Young scholars analyze a work of art. In this historical context lesson, students research the time period in which the art they observed was created. Young scholars consider differing opinions about a work of art.
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Southern Perspective on Reconstruction
Students analyze historical perspectives. In this Reconstruction lesson, students compare and contrast the Northern and Southern views on Reconstruction as they analyze letters from Robert E. Lee and read Confederate Military History.
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Fine Tuning a Nation: Using Cartoons
Students examine political cartoons to gain an understanding of the political issues that George Washington faced. In this historical perspectives lesson, students analyze political cartoons about the National Bank, the title presidents,...
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Fires of the 21st Century
Learners explore historical perspectives. In this contemporary history lesson, students listen to Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire," discuss they lyrics, and add a new verse to the song for the years 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005.
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Smoky Night
Second graders compare the neighborhoods they know to those of a different place and time. In this historical perspectives lesson, 2nd graders read Eve Bunting's Smoky Night and discuss the outcome of the story. Students also discuss...
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Writing American Diaries
Young scholars examine the concept of historical perspective in writing. They read the diary of Sally Wister, a young Patriot from Philadelphia during the Revolutionary Era. Additionally, they must include different points of view in...
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Applying KWL Guides to Sources with Elementary Students
What is a KWL chart? Here is a well thought-out activity that has learners use KWL charts to gain historical perspective. Your class examines primary sources about historical events and identifies what they know, want to know, and,...
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Pioneer Perspectives-Diverse Opinions on Westward Migration
Students examine the Westward Migration and expansion of the United States from the perspective of a family migrating westward. They analyze pictures, and in small groups write and present a script based on a photograph, expressing the...
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Changing Perspectives on the Japanese Internment Experience
Students explore the issue of Japanese-American internment. In this World War II lesson plan, students analyze historical biases regarding Japanese-American internment as they analyze literature, research print and Internet sources, and...
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Multiple Perspectives on the Korean War
Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this Korean War lesson, students examine and analyze primary sources regarding U.S. involvement in the Korean War.
Newseum
Weighing the Arguments
To understand how personal perspectives can affect policy and politics, scholars examine the woman suffrage media map and historical artifacts to analyze arguments for and against women's suffrage. Class members then take on the role of...
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Adapting Documents for the Classroom: Equity and Access
Students examine primary sources to gain historical perspectives. In this historical analysis lesson plan, students analyze documents that their instructors have adapted to make more user-friendly. Example adapted primary documents are...